Obama's Inauguration Ball

Barack Obama said his wife Michelle made him "a better man and better President" at the Commander in Chief's Inauguration Ball. Thousands of people gathered in Washington to see Obama publicly sworn in as US president for his second term.

Beyonce lip-synched the national anthem at President Obama's inauguration to a pre-recorded backing track, The Times (£) reported.

A spokeswoman for the Marine Corps Band, who accompanied Beyonce, reportedly said the singer decided to rely on the studio version shortly before she was due to perform.

She said: “We did pre-record it and it was Beyonce’s decision at the last minute to go with the pre-recorded version. We pre-recorded all music as a matter of course and have done since time immemorial."